By Donna Howarth | @cleaneatUAE
Coconut flour is made from the meat of the tropical nut. The meat is dried at very low temperatures for a long period of time and, then, finely ground. The flour resembles wheat flour, is lower in carbs (when compared to grain based flours) and it’s also high in fibre and protein. Therefore, it makes a more nutrient dense flour.
The flour is naturally gluten-free (hypoallergenic) and recommended for those who are allergic to nuts, wheat, soy, milk etc. This really is a fantastic flour and can be enjoyed by celiacs, diabetics and those of use that eat Clean, Paleo or Low-GI etc. If you are looking to eat healthier, this flour deserves a well-earned place in your kitchen.
Coconut flour is relatively new to the “healthy food” scene and I can understand that the majority of people will not buy it, as they have no idea what to do with it. Even though it is a flour, it has to be treated quite differently. The first (major) point – it’s highly absorbent and you really need to be careful to ensure you use the correct amount of flour with the correct measure of liquid (i.e. eggs). Erica from comfybelly.com recommends this general ratio:
. ½ cup of coconut flour
.4 eggs
. ½ cup of liquid sweetener (i.e. honey, maple syrup, agave etc.)
The flour can also clump quite easily and you will need to sift prior to adding in your mixture. Also, make an extra effort to mix the ingredients together (by hand or mixer).
I personally, love the taste of coconut flour and find it makes my recipes tastier, sweeter and more wholesome when compared to other flours. Recently, I used it to make a Yorkshire pudding and found it preferable to the conventional pudding made with wheat flour. (I have listed the recipe below).
I strongly advise you to research the uses of coconut flour and try some of the recipes on the following websites: comfybelly.com, elanaspantry.com and take a peek at www.mynaturalfamiy.com/recipes/grain-free/coconut-flour-bread-recipes/ I have also bought a book entitled Cooking with Coconut Flour by Bruce Fife, N.D. I purchased this from The Organic Store at Nation Towers and it has proved very helpful when trying to understand the properties of Coconut Flour.
Yorkshire Pudding (recipe from Cooking with Coconut Flour)
4 eggs
½ cup coconut milk
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sifted coconut flour
3 tablespoons corn flour
Blend together all the ingredients using a hand held whisk or blender. Ensure there are no lumps and the batter is slightly bubbly. Pour the batter into a greased 11x7x2-inch baking pan. Bake at 225c for approximately 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cut into 6 pieces and serve immediately. This can been eaten with any roast or stew, be it chicken or beef.
Enjoy!
